What age should a child start cooking?
Whenever they are ready!
And by ready we mean every time a child shows their interest to get involved in the kitchen.
Parents are almost always scrambling for time and trying to wrap up work, with cooking mostly taking a big chunk. If during this time, our children come to supposedly offer ‘help’, it may translate in our minds as an additional chore (since we may be doing most of the cleaning later on). However, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Along with involving our children in the clean-up later on, we can also help them become familiar with pots and pans, spices and sauces. Let them help us turn cooking into fun!
That way our children will not only develop an interest in cooking but also gain the confidence to experiment with food. Who knows, one of them may even become the next Gordon Ramsay!
We have tried to compile a list of easy recipes your children can take lead in and prepare in the kitchen.
Strawberry Watermelon Slush
Summers and watermelon is as perfect a combination as Burger and Fries! Perfect for a hot summer afternoon.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, halved
- 2 cups ice cubes
Find the recipe here.
3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies
Nothing can go wrong with Nutella. And the fact that these brownies take less than 30 minutes to get ready makes it even better!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4cupNutella
- 2large eggs
- 1/2cupall purpose flour
Find the recipe here.
2 Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream
If you have a young chef who wants beginner’s lessons, try this easy recipe with just two ingredients!
Ingredients
- 4bananas
- 250g / 9 oz strawberries
Find the recipe here.
Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
Substituting as a snack or a quick lunch fix, this recipe takes less than 10 minutes. Perfect for teaming up with uninterrupted play!
Ingredients
- 2chicken breastsboneless and skinless
- 1cup(28g) crushed Cornflakes cereal
- 1teaspoongarlic powder
- ½teaspoonsalt
- 1cup(240mL) buttermilk
Find the recipe here.
Frozen Yogurt Bites
Yogurt bites are the perfect healthy snack, also doubling as a treat! You can also use different silicon moulds to give fun shapes.
Ingredients
- 1/4cupfruit puree
- 1cupplain Greek yogurt
- 1tbsphoney
Find the recipe here.
Frozen Yogurt Bark
Another way you can use yogurt to make an appetizing snack is making a yogurt bark. Yogurt bark is slices of yogurt dotted with toppings and frozen in the freezer to create a handheld treat.
You and your children can use red and green food coloring to make an eye-popping watermelon yogurt bark.
Ingredients
- Plain or vanilla flavored yogurt
- Red and green food coloring
- Large chocolate chips
- Pipping bags (or you can use plastic zipper food bags)
- Parchment paper
Find the recipe here.
PB&J French Toast
A French Toast that is also a Penaut Butter and Jam Sandwich? Two breakfasts in one!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup jam/jelly of your choice
- 8 slices sandwich bread
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Sugar or maple syrup
Find the recipe here.
Whipped Pineapple Popsicles
These are the creamiest popsicles and absolutely refreshing for kids running under the sun all day!
Ingredients
- 1mediumlime/lemon
- 5cuppineapple
- 1 1/2cupheavy whipping cream
Find the recipe here.
Basic Banana Muffins
Basic ingredients and easy recipe; perfect way to help ease your child into the kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 medium ripe bananas
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Find the recipe here.
Spring Flower Pancakes
Involve your kids in making different shapes and flowers out of fresh fruits, so they look as amazing as they taste.
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorating the pancakes
- ¼ cup Greek Yogurt, plain or flavored (plus more for topping the pancakes)
- Favorite fresh fruit (strawberries, mango, blueberries, blackberries…)
- ¼ cup chocolate chips for melting or chocolate sauce
- Fresh mint leaves
- Circle cookie cuttersor kitchen scissors
- Small zip top bag
Find the recipe here.
Mango Pineapple Sorbet
Introduce your children to different food textures, with this cool and easy 3 ingredient recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen mango
- 2 cups frozen pineapple
- 1 to 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or honey)
If you want to freeze fresh fruit, peel and cut the mangoes and pineapple. Place them in a plastic ziplock bag and squeeze out all the air. Let it freeze for 6 hours before cooking.
Find the recipe here.
Cookie Cutter Fruit Salad
Probably the easiest and most fun. All you need are fruits you like and cookie cutters of choice, and let the shapes take over!
You can cut stars ..
.. or crescents and mosques ..
or even make flower bouquets!
